The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1887-08-24
The WORLDS BIG GUNS.
Some OF the monsters BUTT FOR the ships
and Forts Of Foreign Powers


Some OF the monsters Built for the ships
and Forts of Foreign Powers
The progress of thirty years In con-
structing heavy guns has been extraor-
binary. The largest pieces found on war
vessels in 1860 threw ball weighing 66
pounds. with an initial velocity of 1870
feet per second, and an energy of LOO
foot tons. Now initial Telocities in high
power guns have been increased to 9, 100
feet; proiectiles at the maximum weigh
as much as 1900 pounds, and in some
cases are propelled by charges of nearly
half a ton of powder, while the 110-ton
guns of the Benbow reach an energy of
about 10000 foot tons.
Passing over the trinmphs obtained by
intermediate cahbers, which were remark
able IN their day, we find that the largest
French steel guns, such as are used for
the armament of the Terrible, completed
at Brest; the Requin, built at Bordeaux;
the Indomitable, built at L'Orient, and
the Caiman, finished at TouIon, weigh
each about rs tons. They deliver pro-
jectile, weighing 1,716 pounds, with a
muzzle velocity of 1,739 feet per second
and muzzle energy of 10000 foot tons.
The guns are rified breechloaders. The
French have other powerful gums, those
constructed ON the Bange system being
well known.
The Armstrong guns now mounted for
service in the Italian armor clads Duilio,
Dandola, Italia, and Lepanto, weigh 100
tons each, and throw proiectile of 1000
pounds. These have long been familiar,
but the later breech loading guns are
improvements over the early muzzle
leaders. The most powerful of them
take a powder charge of about 772
pounds, and have an initial velocity of
1 1885 feet per second, and muzzle en-
ergy Of 81 900 foot tons. Guns of 105
tons have also been made at Elswick for
the francesca LAURA, the Andrea Dona
and the Morosini. In these the weight
of the charge is 800 pounds, the weight
of the projectile 1000 pounds, the muz-
zle energy 56,547 foot tons. These will
undoubtedly prove most formidable
weapons.
The largest Krupp gun weighs nearly
119 tons. 1t is over 46 feet long, has
caliber of 10 "a inches, and fires a shot
weighing 1914 pounds, with muzzle
velocity of 1900 feet. The maximum
elevation gives it a range of nearly 1-2
miles. Its power of penetration into
wrought iron is estimated at about Al
inches at the muzzle, 81 inches at the dis
lance of /, 100 yards and so inches at 8, 900
yards. At the distance of three miles its
striking average is still about $4,000 foot
tons. The Italians have two of these guns
mounted in shore battery, for which
purpose they are intended.
The English 11O-ton gun, manufac-
tured at Elswick, is about A. feet
long, and its actual weight PAT, 795
pounds. The screw block, removed in
loading, weighs IA tons. The proiec-
tile is a bolt weighing 1900 pounds, and
16 IA inches in diameter. With $50
pounds of powder the actual muzzle
velocity attained was 2,07S feet, and the
muzzle energy 1000 foot tons; so that
with $50 pounds, which the gun is con-
structed to use, an energy on the projec-
tile of $1,000 foot tons is expected. The
recol of the gun is very small. The
British also have powerful new gun in
their 63-ton steel breechlOader, which
will be carried on the Rodney. 1t is ex-
pected to throw a 10 1-4-inch shot, of
!, $50 pounds, with a powder charge of
$50 pounds, and to attain 2,100 feet
muzzle velocity. Should these expecta-
tons be realized, this gun, though much
lighter, will be more destructive than
the S0-ton gun of the Inf1exible, which
takes a projectile of 1,700 pounds, with
cartridge of $50 pounds, reaching a
muzzle velocity of 900 feet.
1t is said that the next step attempted
in heavy gun construction will be that of
150-ton monster, this project being at
tributed to the Essen works. 1t would
throw shell six feet long, weighing
son and half. There are also some guns
under construction which are expected to
accomplish great results on somewhat
new theories, as in the case of the one
manufactured for Col. Hope. This is to
take an enormous powder charge, and to
have correspondingly great penetrative
effect. But without going into the pos
sible successes of the future, those which
have already been achieved are suffi-
GENTLY astonishing. York Sun.